Incidence of infective endocarditis before and after the guideline modification regarding a more restrictive use of prophylactic antibiotics therapy in the USA and Europe

Introduction: There is a decline in male fertility thus new treatments are needed. Aims: To test the efficacy of a new dietary supplement developed in the USA and registered as a curing drug in Hungary (OGYI). Methods: In a clinical trial 100 men with low sperm quality (spermium count 5–20 M/ml, good motility 10–40%, and adverse shape 30–50%) were examined. Results: Sperm parameters were measured before and after a 3-month treatment and after another 3-month without treatment. This dietary supplement statistically and clinically significantly improved sperm count and motility. In 74 cases this dietary supplement demonstrated a beneficial effect on sperm quality (more than 10% increase in sperm count, or quality of motility, or shape); in 16 cases the improvement exceeded 30%. No adverse effect could be accounted for this treatment. Conclusions: This new dietary supplement may contribute to the treatment of male infertility. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 1787–1792.

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Pictorial health warning labels on the waterpipe device are effective in reducing smoking satisfaction, puffing behaviour and exposure to CO: first evidence from a crossover clinical laboratory study

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054682 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (e1) ◽

pp. e37-e42 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Wasim Maziak ◽

Ziyad Ben Taleb ◽

Mohammad Ebrahimi Kalan ◽

Thomas Eissenberg ◽

James Thrasher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carbon Monoxide ◽

Clinical Laboratory ◽

Warning Labels ◽

Health Warning ◽

Before And After ◽

Regulatory Approach ◽

The Usa ◽

Exhaled Carbon Monoxide ◽

Positive Experiences ◽

Harmful Effects

ObjectivesThis study examined the effect of pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) on the waterpipe (WP) device on smokers’ experience, puffing behaviour, harm perception and exposure to respiratory toxicants.MethodsThirty WP smokers completed two 45 min ad libitum smoking sessions (WP without HWL vs WP with HWL) in a crossover design study. Exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) was measured before and after each smoking session. Puff topography was recorded throughout the smoking session, and participants completed survey questionnaires assessing subjective smoking experiences and harm perception.ResultsSignificant differences were observed in eCO levels between the two study conditions, with lower levels of eCO boost recorded following smoking the WP fitted with HWL (16 ppm) compared with WP without HWL (22.7 ppm). Participants had more puffs, shorter interpuff intervals and a higher total puff volume during smoking the WP without HWL relative to WP with HWL (p values <0.05). We documented enhanced reports of satisfaction, taste and puff liking following smoking the WP without HWL compared with the WP with HWL. WP harm perception was significantly higher among participants after smoking the WP with HWL compared with WP without HWL.ConclusionThis pilot study shows that placing HWL on the WP device is effective in reducing WP smoker’s positive experiences, puffing parameters and exposure to carbon monoxide. HWLs lead also to more appreciation of WP harmful effects, making them a promising regulatory approach for addressing the spread of WP smoking among young adults in the USA.

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The Israeli–Lebanese war of 2006: consequences for Lebanon

Contemporary Arab Affairs ◽

10.1080/17550910801951748 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 187-210

Author(s):

Ziad Hafez

Keyword(s):

Arab Countries ◽

The Political ◽

National Unity ◽

Major Consequence ◽

Political Narrative ◽

Defence Policy ◽

Before And After ◽

The Usa ◽

The Subject ◽

The Impact

This article focuses on the political narrative in Lebanon before and after the Israeli war against Lebanon in 2006. It revolves around the subject of national unity as a sine qua non condition for success for the Lebanese resistance led by Hezbollah. A major consequence of the narrative on national unity is the need to build a modern state and establish a cohesive defence policy. The paper also examines the impact of the war on Lebanon's economy and on its relations with the rest of the world (the USA, France, Syria, Arab countries, and Iran).

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Infective Endocarditis Hospitalizations Before and After the 2007 American Heart Association Prophylaxis Guidelines

Canadian Journal of Cardiology ◽

10.1016/j.cjca.2015.09.021 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 (8) ◽

pp. 942-948 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Andrew S. Mackie ◽

Wei Liu ◽

Anamaria Savu ◽

Ariane J. Marelli ◽

Padma Kaul

Keyword(s):

Infective Endocarditis ◽

American Heart Association ◽

American Heart ◽

Heart Association ◽

Before And After

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Social jetlag, eating behaviours and BMI among adolescents in the USA

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114520001804 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 124 (9) ◽

pp. 979-987 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gina Marie Mathew ◽

Lauren Hale ◽

Anne-Marie Chang

Keyword(s):

Living Arrangements ◽

Fast Food ◽

Self Report ◽

Eating Behaviours ◽

Social Jetlag ◽

Before And After ◽

The Usa ◽

Report Data ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Self Report Data

AbstractThere is a lack of research on associations of social jetlag with eating behaviours and obesity among adolescents. We examined the associations of social jetlag with eating behaviours and BMI in adolescents before and after adjustment for potential confounders. Self-report data were collected from 3060 adolescents (48·1 % female, mean age 15·59 (sd 0·77) years) from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. In regression models, social jetlag predicted odds of consumption of breakfast, fruits/vegetables, fast food and sweetened drinks and BMI percentile. Primary models adjusted for school night sleep duration, sex, age, household income and youth living arrangements; secondary models further adjusted for race/ethnicity. In fully adjusted models, greater social jetlag was associated with lower odds of consumption of breakfast (OR = 0·92, P = 0·003) and fruits/vegetables (OR = 0·92, P = 0·009) and higher odds of consumption of fast food (OR = 1·18, P < 0·001) and sweetened drinks (OR = 1·18, P < 0·001). Social jetlag was positively associated with BMI percentile after additional adjustment for eating behaviours (b = 0·84, P = 0·037), but this relationship was attenuated after adjustment for race/ethnicity (b = 0·72, P = 0·072). Ethnoracial differences in social jetlag may attenuate the association of social jetlag with BMI and should be considered in future studies of circadian misalignment, eating behaviours and obesity markers.

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No Going Back: Advantages of Ultrasound-Guided Upper Arm PICC Placement

Journal of the Association for Vascular Access ◽

10.2309/java.13-4-6 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 191-197 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Liz Simcock

Keyword(s):

Success Rate ◽

Ultrasound Guided ◽

Upper Arm ◽

Exit Site Infection ◽

Catheter Migration ◽

Audit Data ◽

Change In Practice ◽

Before And After ◽

The Usa ◽

The Uk

Abstract Background, Method and Purpose: The use of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in the UK has been steadily increasing since they were first introduced in 1995. Ultrasound-guided upper arm placement - which has become prevalent in the USA over the last few years - is gradually attracting interest amongst PICC placers in the UK. The literature shows that upper arm placement improves insertion success rate (Hockley, Hamilton, Young, Chapman, Taylor, Creed et al, 2007; Hunter, 2007; Krstenic, Brealey, Gaikwad & Maraveyas, 2008) and patient satisfaction (Polak, Anderson, Hagspiel, & Mungovan, 1998; Sansivero, 2000; McMahon, 2002). Following a switch to upper arm placement at her institution, the author examined audit data from before and after the change in practice to see if there were other measurable clinical improvements. Results: Comparison of data from a four-year period shows that upper arm placement in our patient population increased insertion success rate and line longevity, while reducing exit site infection, thrombosis and catheter migration. Implications for Practice: This data shows that ultrasound-guided upper-arm placement improves patient outcomes. PICC placers still using the more traditional antecubital approach should consider a change in practice.

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No paradox here? Improving theory and testing of the nuclear stability–instability paradox with synthetic counterfactuals

Journal of Peace Research ◽

10.1177/00223433211018501 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 002234332110185

Author(s):

Francesco Bailo ◽

Benjamin E Goldsmith

Keyword(s):

Synthetic Control ◽

Nuclear War ◽

Quantitative Studies ◽

Limited Support ◽

Before And After ◽

Nuclear Stability ◽

The Usa ◽

Valid Comparison ◽

Empirical Tests ◽

The Stability

This article contributes to both the theoretical elaboration and empirical testing of the ‘stability–instability paradox’, the proposition that while nuclear weapons deter nuclear war, they also increase conventional conflict among nuclear-armed states. Some recent research has found support for the paradox, but quantitative studies tend to pool all international dyads while qualitative and theoretical studies focus almost exclusively on the USA–USSR and India–Pakistan dyads. This article argues that existing empirical tests lack clearly relevant counterfactual cases, and are vulnerable to a number of inferential problems, including selection on the dependent variable, unintentionally biased inference, and extrapolation from irrelevant cases. The limited evidentiary base coincides with a lack of consideration of the theoretical conditions under which the paradox might apply. To address these issues this article theorizes some scope conditions for the paradox. It then applies synthetic control, a quantitative method for valid comparison when appropriate counterfactual cases are lacking, to model international conflict between India–Pakistan, China–India, and North Korea–USA, before and after nuclearization. The article finds only limited support for the paradox when considered as a general theory, or within the theorized scope conditions based on the balance of resolve and power within each dyad.

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TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN US, CANADA AND MEXICO IN THE CONTEXT OF NAFTA AND USMCA AGREEMENTS

JOURNAL OF EUROPEAN ECONOMY - No 1 (2018) ◽

10.35774/jee2020.04.583 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 583-614

Author(s):

Nadiia KRYVENKO

Keyword(s):

Foreign Trade ◽

Agricultural Sector ◽

Trade Agreements ◽

Trade Flows ◽

Agricultural Products ◽

Regional Trade Agreements ◽

Total Trade ◽

Regional Trade ◽

Before And After ◽

The Usa

The development of the USA, Canada and Mexico is studied taking into account the signing of the new USMCA Agreement, and some differences from the previous NAFTA are presented in accordance with modern challenges. The foreign trade of the association and its separate member states is analysed, their shares in the general trade are determined, and basic indicators of international trade are calculated. The main directions of trade flows and the importance of partner countries with regards to each other are identified. Exports are analysed taking into account the periods before and after the conclusion of the Agreement, while changes of intra-regional trade between the partner countries are investigated. Particular attention is paid to the study of foreign trade in agricultural products. Its share in total trade in goods is defined, the basic indicators are analysed, features concerning directions are determined. Trade trends taking into account North-South integration are considered, and the corresponding features are revealed. The importance of the agricultural sector in the new USMCA Agreement is presented as a result of the consideration of trade policy for agricultural products. It is proposed to take into account certain provisions of USMCA when concluding regional trade agreements of Ukraine in the future, as well as the possible impact on trade with Ukraine.

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The United States

The Despot's Guide to Wealth Management ◽

10.7591/cornell/9781501705519.003.0003 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

J. C. Sharman

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

The United States ◽

Turn Of The Century ◽

Patriot Act ◽

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ◽

The Us ◽

Before And After ◽

The Status ◽

The Usa ◽

Successful Prevention

This chapter begins by tracing the origins of the anti-kleptocracy cause in the United States, starting with the harsh Cold War environment and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977. It explores the status quo ante of dictators being able to launder their funds in the US financial system with impunity immediately before and after the turn of the century. At this time, there was no law prohibiting American banks and other institutions receiving the proceeds of foreign corruption. The USA Patriot Act closed this legal loophole, yet practice lagged, and laws at first failed to have much of an impact. More recent cases indicate at least partial effectiveness, however, with instances of successful prevention and some looted wealth confiscated and returned.

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E-cigarette and cigarette purchasing among young adults before and after implementation of California’s tobacco 21 policy

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055417 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. tobaccocontrol-2019-055417 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sara Schiff ◽

Fei Liu ◽

Tess Boley Cruz ◽

Jennifer B Unger ◽

Sam Cwalina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Based ◽

Tobacco Product ◽

Cigarette Use ◽

Limited Data ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Gas Stations ◽

The Past ◽

Before And After ◽

The Usa ◽

Vape Shops

BackgroundTobacco 21 (T21) laws, which raise the minimum legal age of sale of tobacco products to 21, have been proposed and implemented in states and cities across the USA. However, limited data are available on the effect of T21 laws on youth tobacco purchasing behaviours and access to tobacco products.MethodsParticipants in a population-based prospective cohort in southern California completed questionnaires before (n=1609, age=18–19 y) and after (n=1502, age=19–20 y) T21 was implemented in California (June 2016). We examined the prevalence of past 30-day cigarette and e-cigarette use, and among past 30-day users, purchase location of tobacco products before (pre-) versus after (post-) T21. We also examined whether, post-T21, participants were refused purchase of tobacco products due to their age, and the perceived relative ease of purchasing cigarettes and e-cigarettes (vs pre-T21).ResultsNegligible changes in cigarette and e-cigarette use were observed pre-T21 versus post-T21. At both time points, the majority of past 30-day users purchased cigarettes from gas stations and e-cigarettes from vape shops. Post-T21, the proportion of participants who reported purchasing cigarettes at gas stations decreased. Post-T21, most past 30-day cigarette or e-cigarette users were not refused purchase of cigarettes (65.4%) or e-cigarettes (82.0%) in the past 30 days, despite being under 21; half of the participants felt it was harder to purchase cigarettes (54.3%) and e-cigarettes (43.6%) post-T21.ConclusionPost-T21, few participants were refused purchase of any tobacco product, despite the illegality of such sales. Better enforcement of T21 is needed to improve the efficacy of T21 legislation.

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